On Tuesday, February 4, 2025, a historical discussion was held in Room 709, 7th Floor, Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University. The event took place from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM WIB and was attended by various academics and historical researchers, both from Indonesia and abroad, including research colleagues from the Netherlands who were on a journey retracing history following World War II in Indonesia.
The discussion was officially opened by Dr. Abdul Wahid, M.A., Head of the Department of History, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. In his opening remarks, he emphasized the importance of historical studies based on academic collaboration between Indonesia and the Netherlands to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the decolonization period and its impact on both nations.
The event consisted of two panel presentations discussing the latest research on Indonesia’s War of Independence and the various political and social dynamics surrounding it. The first panel featured Martijn Eickhoff with a presentation titled Over de Grens: Beyond the Pale (Crossing Boundaries). In his presentation, Eickhoff explored various academic debates in the Netherlands regarding the Indonesian War of Independence from 1950 to 2010, advocacy efforts for historical research that gained support from the Dutch government, and key findings from research showing that extreme violence by Dutch forces during the war could no longer be considered isolated incidents.
The second panel was presented by Dr. Abdul Wahid, M.A., and Dr. Yulianti, discussing collaborative research between Gadjah Mada University and KITLV on the Proclamation of Independence, Revolution, and War in Indonesia from 1945-1949. This panel highlighted various historiographical approaches used in the research, challenges faced in integrating Indonesian and Dutch perspectives, and the contribution of this research in shaping a new generation of Indonesian historians capable of engaging in global historical discourse.
Throughout the discussion, participants actively raised various questions and responses that enriched the understanding of the themes presented. Some of the key topics discussed included how colonial nations account for their military actions in the past, the impact of violence on Indonesian society, and how Indonesian and Dutch historiography can continue to develop through closer academic collaboration.
The event concluded with a statement from the moderator summarizing that historical research is not only aimed at uncovering past facts but also contributes to building a more fair and balanced understanding of shared history between Indonesia and the Netherlands. Participants are expected to continue developing this academic discussion in other forums to further enrich the discourse on Indonesia’s decolonization history.
Author: Muhammad Faisal Adnan
